+65 6681 6717
8 Jurong Town Hall Road, #25-02, The JTC Summit. Singapore 609434


#striped-custom-5ed82f6fe17de h3:after {background-color:#cc0000!important;}#striped-custom-5ed82f6fe17de h3:after {border-color:#cc0000!important;}#striped-custom-5ed82f6fe17de h3:before {border-color:#cc0000!important;}

How can we help you?

About Elite Asia

More About Elite Asia

Elite Asia was founded to help people communicate and do business overseas. Today, Elite Asia is one of the internet’s leading translation companies, performing thousands of translations every day.

Who are some of Elite Asia’s clients

Some of the bigger clients that Elite Interpreters Asia has worked with previously include Spikes Asia, Genzyme. Chartered Singapore, Burberry, Civil Service College, National University of Singapore, etc.

How does Elite Asia manage projects?

Elite Asia follows a detailed process when managing projects. This process involves assigning a project manager, assigning a suitable translator and carrying out through quality checks.

The first step in an Elite Asia translation and/or localisation job is to assign you with a Project Manager. The Project Manager is your representative at Elite. He/She ensures we clearly understand and meet all your requirements. They will also ensure your on-going satisfaction throughout the duration of the project.

Our project management system gives you the confidence of knowing you have a single liaison point at all times. The following section outlines the typical life-cycle of document translation:

    • We obtain the source files from you for the translation/localisation of your document.
    • Our Project manager assesses the scope of the translators required for translation/localisation of your document.
    • We provide a detailed quote with a breakdown of the required translation/localisation services, along with a ‘request for translation’ form.
    • Upon signing of the quotation, we will start your project immediately. Non-confidentiality Agreements and/or Service Agreements can be drawn up for sensitive and confidential information or huge projects that span through a few weeks or months (this is a legal obligation that ensures both parties fulfil each requirement needed for the success of the project)
    • The project manager assigns the appropriate translator to work on your project. if requested, the translator will create a Translation Memory while doing the translation (this is suitable for huge projects with repetitive terminology).
    • Once completed, a native proof-reader will review and edit the translations accordingly.
    • For Quality Assurance (QA), we then check for any inconsistencies that may have occurred during the translation process and corrects them accordingly (these could be due to linguistic or cultural differences during translation).
    • The translated product is submitted to you for review.
    • Changes, if any, are implemented after you have reviewed the files. We provide unlimited revision till satisfaction within the stipulated revision period (usually is 2 weeks) without additional cost on your end.
    • The final product is delivered to you by your choice of either email or FTP.

To find out more, please call us at +65 6681 6717 or use our web form

What are Elite Asia’s areas of specialisation

Elite Asia provides professional translation services for a range of print and non-print document formats including books, brochures, catalogues, corporate merchandise, email correspondences, websites, flyers, graphics, legal contracts, manuals, multimedia, newsletters, pamphlets, patents, presentations, promotional material, reports and more.

Elite Asia specialises in translations in a variety of fields including:

  • Automotive
  • Aviation/Space
  • Banking
  • Brewing
  • Cable/Telecommunications
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Construction
  • Chemistry
  • Economics/Business
  • Electronics
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Science
  • Finance
  • Food Science
  • Investment
  • legal Leisure Industry
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical/Pharmaceutical
  • Metallurgy
  • Military and Government
  • Naval
  • Photography/Optics
  • Physics/Atomic Energy
  • Political Science
  • Science and Technology

Which languages does Elite Asia translate/interpret?

Elite Asia does best in what we focus on. We prefer not to expand into service languages that we do not specialise in, but to devote our resources to the selective language pairs that are most sought after in Asian markets. We translate/interpret to and from most of the Asian languages:

Arabic, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Tamil, Vietnamese, and major European languages (Finnish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish

How does Elite Asia ensure the quality of our linguists?

Elite Asia uses accredited native-speaking translators.

All our translators have gone through a qualification and experience check, which involves reviewing their profiles and translation samples, as well as a test translation which is specific to their area of expertise.

With so many translators and ‘so-called translators’ in the industry, we have found these requirements extremely effective in choosing high-quality translators for you.

Elite Asia’s editors and linguistics reviewers generally have degrees in their appropriate language, or degrees in translation (with Honours in Grammer of their language). Alternatively, they may be experts in the subject of the project.

At Elite Asia’s translators are chosen according to their source and target language capability, translation skills, learning capability, knowledge structure, etc. We then select the appropriate individual from a large number of candidates to handle your translation projects.


Why should you choose Elite Asia for your translation needs?

We have a proven track record and guarantee that you will be satisfied with your translation because we have a group of professional and high-quality translators,

Our track record: We have never lost a customer (and have held on to some high profile customers!)

Our guarantee: We will work with you and your contacts whenever necessary to ensure a translation is carried out to your utmost satisfaction.

Our people: Our translators are all professional, mother tongue translators with many years of experience behind them. Our managers are experienced linguists and recognise that the quality of translation is the key to growing our business.


Why should you choose Elite Asia for your interpretation needs?

Fast and reliable service – We treasure our clients and will do our utmost best to make sure their event and messages are interpreted professionally with high accuracy. When you make your enquiry through email, telephone or skype, we will get back to you within a working day with a quotation.

Experienced interpreters – Our interpreters have taken up various assignments covering many different industries and languages. we will definitely be able to choose an interpreter who will best fit your project’s needs.

Range of services provided – Our interpreters are able to handle half-day assignments to 2-month long periods. We also provide interpreters in most major European and Asian languages.

Our Translations

Why use Elite Asia instead of engaging freelancers

There are many advantages of engaging Elite Asia as opposed to engaging freelance translators

  1. Save time: Elite Asia takes great care and effort in searching for qualified linguists, which means that you save time on locating these people in helping you for translation projects.


  1. Risk reduction: If you try to engage freelance translators, you would be left hanging if they suddenly fall sick or do not keep to their word by missing the deadline or provide work of bad quality. This means it is very risky as you might need the translation to be done promptly and be of good quality. Elite Asia staff have been in the language business for a long time and have established good relationships with others in the language community. We have the resources and experience in dealing with most situations and will try our best to help you complete your project.


  1. Expertise: Elite Asia will be able to add value by advising you on how to get the best result for your translation needs. In the case of localisation, we can give you advice pertaining to what style and dialect are suitable for your target audiences. We can also assist you in technical issues such as multilingual fonts and printing issues.

What will happen if I need to make changes to the source document?

If the change involves changing the schedule which we had previously agreed upon, the Project Manager will inform you of this. If you are agreeable to this change in the schedule, we will update the relevant documents and relevant parties. Your changes would be made clear in the document so that translators will be clear about the content which they need to translate.

What languages does Elite Asia translate

Elite Asia specialises in translating South East and East Asian languages. We also cover most of the commonly used business languages in addition to uncommon ones through working with other specialist agencies.

We are especially skilled in translating to and from Asian languages for businesses that target specific audiences in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Additionally, we have also established qualified teams of translators that can translate major Asian languages like, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, Tamil, Vietnamese, Thai, Khmer and Tagalog.

When requesting a translation, it is important that you inform us about the country or ethnic group your company is planning to use the translated document for. There are, for example, significant differences in the Chinese spoken in Singapore, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. There are also differences between Malay in Malaysia and Malay in Brunei, as well as lingos used in different countries. However, if you are unsure of exactly what your requirements are, do not worry as we are here to help.

What kind of documents can Elite Asia translate?

We are able to work with most word processing and graphics/DTP formats, sound or video files and on the source code of HTML, PHP, Visual Basic, Java .properties etc. We also have both Mac and Windows systems and a wide range of software.

What is the translators guide and why do we need it?

If your business needs to translate your product information, documents, website content and carry out copywriting, the easiest way to deal with this problem would be to assign the task to a bilingual person in your department. However, a bilingual co-worker typically does not have enough time and skills to translate your content in a proper manner. This is where professional translators will come into play. When customers pass on the task of translating the documents to a translations company, the biggest problem will be whether the translator will be able to translate while retaining the essence and feeling of the original content to the reader. That is why we would require some guidelines for the translator from you to ensure that our translations meet your most pressing needs. Even though coming up with these guidelines may come across as tedious or time-consuming, we guarantee that they will bring you many benefits. By coming up with Style guides for the translators, you will be able to reap great returns from the time spent on the guides. Such a Style guide typically takes about 10 hours to build and can prevent errors in terms of tone and style which the translator might make if the Style guide was not provided. Secondly, these guidelines will allow us to translate your content while retaining the essence of your content.

What is SEO Translation?

As one of Elite Asia’s core specialities, SEO Translation, Search Engine Optimisation translation or search engine translation, is the technique of translating the viewable text on a web page in such a way that it reads well for the surfer, and also targets specific search terms known as keywords. Its purpose is to increase a website’s chances of being ranked highly in the search engines for targeted keywords.

SEO Translations usually optimize other on-page elements for the targeted keywords. These include the Title, Description, Keywords and Key Phrases tags, Headings and Alt text, Images and Pages names as well.

Through incorporating up-to-date SEO techniques, SEO translation could improve your company website’s ranking in search engines and increase your exposure to your target audience.

What is Elite Asia preferred method and language of communication?

90% of project communications take place via email. All written communications are in English.

How will Elite Asia send me the translated document?

In this case, the easiest and most convenient method would be through e-mail. However, if you need to translate ‘certified documents’, we will send the original document in hard copy to you.

How long will you take to complete my translation?

How long do you take to edit/proofread a translated document?

As a rule of thumb, our editors have the capacity to proofread about 6,000 words per day. The exact amount of time required would also depend on the quality of the source document and the translation, as well as on the subject matter. After the proofreading is done, if the quality of the original document is deemed to be too low, we will suggest that the client redo the translation.

How exactly does Elite Asia translate websites?

Firstly, we download every source from your web page which you need to translate. Subsequently, we confirm with you what your goal for the translation is. We will then translate the content of the website into the target language and localize it for your target market. We also localise wordings in graphics and finally ensure that your webmaster has accurately made all substitutions.

How do I send the documents to you?

You can send us a soft copy of the document which needs to be translated as an email attachment, ideally in a standard, easy to open format such as Microsoft Word. We are also open to receiving your document by fax and courier. However, this method might take a longer time and also be more expensive due to courier costs. If you have a hard copy of the document, you can personally drop it off at our office or mail it to us. It is also possible for you to send us the file in formats such as: .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rar, .txt, .wpd, or .zip formats. We offer DTP (Desktop Publishing) services in all languages.

How do I get my document translated?

The translation process consists of five simple steps:

Firstly, you can get a free quote through our web form or information hotline at +65 6681 6717. Next, you will need to send us the material which needs to be translated and you will then receive a project estimate by email. Subsequently, you will need to make a payment for the translation, and our translators will start work on your documents simultaneously. You will then get the translated documents on the following day.

How can I ascertain the quality of the final product?

We fully understand the need for the customer to verify the quality of the translation. Therefore, we always do our best to fulfil customers’ needs. To ensure that our translations are of high quality, Elite Asia has in place detailed procedures to sort out qualified translators/interpreters. For translators who have just joined us, we only assign them smaller amounts of work to give them the experience that they need to embark on larger projects. If we have assessed their work and have ascertained that it is of a good enough quality, we will consider the translator for larger projects. Through repeating this process, we are able to accurately gauge the linguistic standards of our freelancers. All freelance translators who are currently working with Elite Asia have already gone through this system and are qualified to provide translation services. We are constantly striving to reach new heights in service standards through such procedures.

Do I need a translator or an interpreter?

Translators work with written documents while interpreters translate verbally. If you need a document to be converted from one language to another, you require translation services. However, if you have an event which requires someone to facilitate communication between speakers of different languages, you require interpretation services. Even though both translators and interpreters are very skilled in languages, the skills required for the respective jobs are significantly different.

Can you handle legal translation and get my translation ‘certified’?


Yes. Elite Asia is able and experienced in undertaking translation projects in the legal and financial sectors. We will also endorse such legal translations with our stamp upon request. Regardless of the complexity of the source document, Elite Asia will be able to translate it accurately. Our legal translation work is often highly commended. The translation process which we employ guarantees that the translated document will be complete without flaws.

As lawyers and legal firms often ask for translations of court submissions or other official documents to be certified, Elite Asia works with notary publics who are able to certify the translations. As part of this process, we will also issue a Certificate of Translation that includes a short description of the translator’s qualifications and background, the title of the document, the date of certification and with Elite Asia’s endorsement.

Elite Asia follows the required standards for certified translations and will take every step to ensure the accuracy of the translated document. We will also prevent the possibility of fraud by using specified techniques for translation. Most government or organizations accept our certified translations as valid.

The languages available for certified translations required by legal firms and companies are;

Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu / Malay, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese / Mandarin, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Vietnamese, German, French, Russian and etc.

*Certified legal translations often need to be an exact translation of the source and be certified with the translator’s signature so that the document will be accepted by the courts and the authorities.

Other than serving the legal community and company legal translation needs, Elite Asia often assists individuals who require certified translations.
Documents that require certified translation include birth, marriage and divorce certificates, degrees, medical reports, court orders and documents required for permanent residency applications.

Our Interpreting Services

Can Elite Asia handle legal interpreting?

Yes, Elite Asia is qualified in undertaking interpretation projects in the legal sector. We are also willing to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement to protect the privacy and rights of our clients.

Do I need a translator or an interpreter?


How are enquiries handled?

When an enquiry is made, be it through Skype, submission of a web form, email or telephone, our Talent Liaison will contact you immediately to obtain more information so as to choose the interpreter who is most suitable for your project. Our Talent Liaison will then select the interpreters in our database, ensure their availability and to verify their compatibility with your requirements. Our Talent Liaison will choose the most suitable interpreters and send their CV to our clients for selection.

What languages does Elite Asia interpret?

At Elite Asia, our speciality lies in the translation and interpretation of Asian Languages including Japanese, Mandarin, Malay, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Tamil and more. We also have a good network of interpreters for major European languages like French, German, Italian and Spanish which have higher demand in the market. Aside from these, we also provide Russian and Arabic interpreters. We believe that a good interpreter adds to the credibility of a business. That is why our professional services are lauded by clients worldwide. Our teams of trained and experienced conference interpreters are able to provide simultaneous interpreting, consecutive interpreting or whispering interpreting in a broad range of industries.

Which countries do you provide interpretation services for?

We mainly provide interpretation services for events in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. However, if your event is located in countries such as Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand, we are also capable in providing local interpreters for you.

Who are some of Elite Asia’s past clients?

Some of Elite Asia’s past clients include Bayer, Ericsson, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, Burberry etc.

Why should I choose Elite Asia for my interpretation needs?

Elite Asia has a standardised rate which allows you to estimate the cost and plan the budget based on different durations and the number of interpreters. We also have a wide talent network in the Asia Pacific Region, and hence being able to support you for events which are held in the major Asian cities.
In addition, we are prompt in response and transparent in the process. Elite Asia has extensive experience in organising big teams of interpreters with our streamlined processes, which give you assurance and peace in mind. Lastly, our responses are prompt and to the point, which makes coordination easy and saves your time.

What is the significance of an interpretation company like Elite Asia?

In an increasingly globalised world where geographical distance is overcome by the Internet and air travel, understanding and being understood troubles many companies and individuals. Having a good interpreter will allow companies to reach out to new markets, access potential business partners. For individuals, having a skilled interpreter can facilitate residency and employment in a foreign country; settle business dealings with foreigners and much more. Elite Asia will be able to meet your linguistic needs for a variety of languages.

What interpretation equipment does Elite Asia use?

Elite Asia takes pride in providing the best equipment to clients to ensure that their events run smoothly. We only use equipment from reputable brands like Bosch, Brahler etc. The equipment rental service comes with the professional technical support from our technician team, to ensure the smooth delivery of the event without any interruption.

What am I actually paying for?

Elite Asia associates ourselves with only professional interpreters who go through a strict series of tests before projects are allocated to them. We know how to differentiate professional interpreters from a bilingual speaker. Aside from this, we have also accumulated years of experience in coordinating different types of events, and will professionally manage the whole process from engagement of interpreters till the liaison work before and during the event, to give you the assurance and peace of mind that the communication of messages in different languages and the progress of the events or meetings are smooth and professional, which in turn will enhance the image of your company. We are also prompt and transparent in our service delivery, to save your time struggling with unnecessary XX. We would gladly provide you with the profiles of the interpreters assigned to your projects or events. This would allow you to verify if the interpreter fits your needs and expectations.

How does Elite Asia ensure the quality of my interpreting project?

As a professional language-solutions company, Elite Asia has a strong commitment to quality. This can be ensured by first properly understand client’s requirement of the event, proposing interpreters with sufficient experience and fits the requirement, and lastly will be clear and prompt coordination by our well-trained staff to guide the client through every stage of the process till the completion of the assignment.

Does Elite Asia offer bulk discounts?

Yes, Elite Asia takes its client relationships extremely seriously, and we hope to establish a long-term working relationship with each customer. We endeavour to be a value-added partner and will do all we can to meet your expectations. We hope that the provision of bulk discounts will allow you to better manage the interpreting costs for your events or projects.

Will Elite Asia abide by my company’s Non-Disclosure Agreement?

When requested, Elite Asia will readily sign your company’s NDA and ensure all security requirements are met. Our staff and interpreters are required to endorse a binding Non-Disclosure Agreement and are thoroughly briefed on our internal security measures.

How can I become an interpreter with Elite Asia?

Our company welcomes talents with a passion for interpreting to register with us. You can apply through the following URL -http://eliteasia.co/careers. We look forward to establishing a working relationship with you!


What are 100% matches?

100% matches are also known as full or perfect matches and refer to terms for translation in a new document which perfectly matches the phrases in a translation memory database.

What is alignment?

Alignment refers to creating a translation memory database which is based on a completed translated document through matching phrases of the source language version to the completed translation version.

What is Computer Aided Translation (CAT)?

Computer Aided Translation (CAT) is also known as interactive translation. It is a handy tool for experienced translators who have a decent grasp of both the target and source languages. CAT tools include functions which help you to manage the terminology within your translated text. This helps to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the translation, especially in the case of longer documents.

What is DTP?

DTP stands for Desk Top Publishing. DTP involves formatting the layout and images on a computer for print purposes or online display. The publishing tools we usually use are Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. For special software, there might be additional charges incurred. In short, DTP is the process of producing and designing print documents using software applications with graphics capabilities. When it comes to some typesetting, Thai, Indian, Burmese and Khmer require more attention to detail. We have to be careful of these languages as small mistakes in these languages could cause extensive differences in the conveyed meaning.

What are fuzzy matches?

A fuzzy match is a method used in translation memory tools which identify segments that do not match segments translated previously. The approach of fuzzy matches allows translators to leverage on translations of similar texts for their translation.

What are internal repetitions?

Internal repetitions refer to words which appear in the same document repeatedly and only need to be translated once.

What is leveraging?

Leveraging refers to the percentage of material that has been translated as compared to the content of a new file that needs a translation.

What is a literal translation?

Literal translation refers to translating each word literally and individually, not taking into account the grammar structure or context of the document. A literal translation is also known as word for word translation, and the effectiveness of literal translation is not as high as automatic or machine translators. It is often more useful when you need to build a terminology database or as a translation aid.

What is Localisation?

Localisation refers to the process of converting a software or web site from one language to another. For example, people in China do not use the same version of Windows that is used in Britain. Menus, help guides and commands are all written in their native language. An important point to note is that, on top of translating the language, cultural aspects should also be taken into account.

What is machine translation?

Machine translation is also known as automatic translation or translation software. Machine translation enables users to translate content from one language to another. Even though machine translation is useful, it cannot replace human translations, especially for legal documents or literature. Machine translation software produces translations of approximately 80% accuracy and higher. Companies often market themselves as Machine Translation providers but actually sell word by word translation software, which usually has extremely low accuracy. Therefore, you should find out exactly what kind of translation software you are purchasing, as it could affect your translation drastically.

How does machine translation software work?

Some machine translation software carries out translations based on rules. This means that the software will interpret the grammar of the content so that a grammatical structure of each sentence can be derived. This information is translated using the grammar structure of the target language.
Another way that machine translation software works are through statistics. In this case, a large amount of data is saved, and whenever an inquiry is made, the software checks statistical correlation tables. The statistical information shows the appropriate selection for a word, phrase and sentence in one language to another.
An ideal software translation would be one which is both rule-based and statistically-based.
Another example of how some translation software works is the example-based machine translation. This method requires a bilingual text corpus. As opposed to the statistically-based approach, this example-based approach uses the saved data as a knowledge base. Translations are derived directly from this knowledge base through matching instances of parallel structures of the source text and translation found in the corpus.

What is Professional Translation?

Professional translation is also known as human translation. It is a process which involves someone who is effectively bilingual converting documents from one language to another. Occasionally, Computer Assisted Translation tools such as TRADOS are used. However, some translators just rely on a multilingual word processor, and their own translation experience to carry out the translation. As professional translators are always native speakers of the target language, results are expected to be much better than that of machine translation.

What is text expansion?

Text expansion is a feature of translated text where some languages require larger numbers of words or longer words than the source language. For example, Polish expands 20% when translated from English.

What is translation memory?

Translation memory is a technology that saves phrases and sentences which have been translated. Whenever the same word or phrase appears in the document for translation, the software will look up the word in the database and give you the choice of using the same translation for that word again. This helps you to save time when translating, and also maintains consistency of the terminology throughout the entire document.

Translation memory is useful for complex translation jobs with multiple translators working on the same project. These translation tools (eg. Trados and SDLX) make the translation process cheaper, more streamlined and more efficient.

What is the difference between Translation and Localisation?

Localisation is a process which goes one step further than translation. Translation can be considered one of the steps in localisation. After the translation process has been completed, the translated content needs to be adjusted to appeal to the target audience. It would be beneficial to show the localized text to a member of the target audience to make sure that the content is appropriate and suitable for them.

The translation is considered part of localisation because even for the same language, there are colloquial differences for people of different regions. An example of this is the difference between Chinese which is spoken by people in China and Singapore. If we want to translate the phrase ‘coffee shop’ to Chinese, ‘coffee house’ would be familiar to Chinese-speaking Singaporeans, but to those living in China, ‘snack house’ would be a better term to use. Thus, from this example, we can see that even for the same term, translation to another language can be different for different locations.

What is the difference between transcription and audio translation?

Transcription refers to converting an audio source to a written form, while audio translation refers to converting an audio source to a written form and then translating the written form to the target language. For example, we have a Korean audio source. If we do a transcription of the Korean audio source, the written document will need to be in Korean. However, for audio translation, the client would need the written document to be in Chinese instead of Korean.

Find Out More!

Can I translate a document with pictures in it?


How can I improve the accuracy of machine translation?

To improve the accuracy of machine translation, you should pay close attention to the content of the source document. You should try to make the source text direct and easy to understand to get an accurate translation from the software. If the option of user dictionaries is available, you should try to make use of this function, especially if your translation involves several technical terms. Many translation programs allow you to edit the user dictionaries to include any changes that you may want to make.

What kind of documents require professional translation?

Documents bearing your company name, credibility or affecting your company reputation would require professional translation. For foreign documents of a dubious source, it would probably be better for you to make use of machine translation before sending it to a translation company. This way, you would not spend money on translating a document which is worthless to you. In conclusion, all outgoing documents are suitable for professional translation, as a poorly translated document could cost you your company’s reputation.

Which CAT tools do you recommend?

Depending on the size of the translation job, different CAT tools can be employed. We are using Smartcat who is the leading CAT tool in the market, helping Elite Asia better manage and visualise the translation process.

Why should I use Translation Memory?

Translation memory tools help you to save time and money on translating by using consistent terminology across documents.

Why can’t I ask a bilingual staff member to translate our documents?

Translation of an important document can affect the entire business or organization, as when the translation is not accurate, erroneous decisions could be made. If the staff member who is assigned to translate the document has a flair for both languages and has satisfactory writing, editing and proofreading skills, then the translation you receive will be of good quality. To assess if they are suitable for the job, you would need to see if they are native speakers of the language which they are translating into and ask them to write a business letter for you in English or the language which the document is in. If these two factors are fulfilled, this staff member would probably be able to give you a good translation. However, if your staff member fails to meet these criteria, it would be better if you hired a professional translator to carry out the job.

What can I gain from translating my website?

If your website can only be viewed in English, you are closing yourself off from a vast market which could have huge potential. For every person, their mother tongue will always be the language they are best at and easiest for them to understand. However, if your website is only available in English, customers might decide to move on to another company’s website which offers them product descriptions in their own language. The more languages your website offers, the wider the market you can target, and the more people who have access to your company and products. Only companies which open themselves to international trade will flourish. Translating your website into a variety of languages would allow you to expand your business drastically.

How can I translate letters and other paper documents with my computer?

To translate letters and paper documents in hard copy, you can make use of the optical character recognition (OCR) function in Adobe Reader and use a translation program to translate the text. For some languages, you may need special OCR software which can recognize the characters. Another option would be retyping the content into your computer, but this might be impractical if you are unfamiliar with the language or do not have the necessary equipment to input the language.


What is the difference between translation and interpretation?

Both translation and interpretation involve the conversion of the content and message from one language to another language.

However, translation converts language in the form of the written document, while interpretation converts language in the spoken form. Therefore, there exists a difference in quality expectation for interpretation and translation. As interpreting occurs in real time, therefore sufficient experience and wide knowledge of the interpreters are very crucial. For translation, however, there is a longer lead time for the translator to access many resources for proper research and fine-tune the expression and choice of words of the translated copy. Whether it is engaging translators or interpreters, you should ensure that they have relevant experience and a good understanding of the industry of the subject matter.

What types of interpretation are there?

There are mainly 5 kinds of interpretation, namely: Simultaneous, Consecutive, Whispering, Relay and Liaison.

Simultaneous: For Simultaneous Interpretation, the interpreter will be seated into a booth, and with the aid of equipment, he will listen to the spoken content through headphones and translate the content verbally into a microphone. Once the general meaning of the sentence is understood, the interpreter begins interpreting.

Consecutive: Consecutive interpretation involves the interpreter speaking after the speaker speaks. The speaker makes frequent pauses of one to five minutes, allowing the interpreter to translate what was said into the target language verbally. These pauses take place at the end of a paragraph or topic. In contrast to Simultaneous Interpreters who sit inside a booth, a consecutive interpreter is usually sitting beside the speaker and jots down notes while listening to what the speaker says.

Whispering: For whispering interpretation, the interpreter is located beside a small group of audience members and whispers the translated content simultaneously to them. This method is used during situations where only a small group (not more than 2-3) of the target audience who need interpreting service.

Relay: Relay Interpreting involves a source-language interpreter conveying the spoken content to a group of interpreters who have a common language between each other, and each speaks another language. These interpreters will then convey the message to their respective target audiences. It is called Relay Interpreting as the message is relayed from one interpreter to another, who then relays it to the audience. An example of this is a Japanese speech being interpreted in English to a group of interpreters, and each interpreter interprets the content into Korean, Vietnamese, French and German.

Liaison: Liaison interpreting involves an interpreter translating into and out of the source and target languages as a conversation takes place. This method of interpreting is more frequently used for informal settings such as tours.

How is the interpreting system used?

Simultaneous interpreting systems are used during meetings, conferences or exhibitions which require interpretation in real time manner and/or involving more than one language simultaneously. Multi-national corporations (MNCs), international conferences, court hearings and training are some examples of functions which require interpreting systems to be used. Simultaneous interpreting systems may refer to simple systems like the portable tour guide system which can be easily contained in a briefcase and require minimal technical support, or complicated systems such as a 32 digital system installed in a large conference hall.

What are the characteristics of a good interpreter?


Having a vast vocabulary in both languages is also essential. In addition, interpreters should articulate one’s thoughts clearly and accurately. Even if the interpreter can understand what the speaker has said, if he/she cannot deliver it to the audience clearly, it would be pointless. Besides these things, good notetaking skills and quick decision-making skills are also crucial in facilitating the interpreting process.

Find Out More!

Do I need an interpreter?

Whether an interpreter is needed for your event depends on the nature of your event. If your counterparts are not fluent in English, then an interpreter is needed. This will allow the counterpart to listen and/or convey his/her opinion in their mother tongue, making them feel more at ease. Interpreters are often used for meetings, conferences, presentations, court hearings, police investigation and other situations where there exists a language barrier between one or more people.

What situations require interpretation services?

Examples of situations requiring interpretation services are conferences, focus group sessions, tour visits and press conferences.

Conference interpreting
Conference interpreting refers to interpreting for a conference, usually in simultaneous mode. The language pairs with the highest demand in our market are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.

Focus group interpreting
Market research usually involves focus group sessions which allow companies to understand their consumers’ tastes and preferences. Focus group sessions are less formal and involve interaction between a moderator and the participants discussing their experience from using a product. For organizations such as Multi-National Corporations, such focus group sessions could possibly involve consumers from a foreign country whose language they do not understand. Thus, they would require an interpreter for these focus group sessions.
Focus group interpreting also involves an interpreter sitting in a soundproof booth with the clients. There would normally be a one-way mirror between the interpreter and the participants of the focus groups, where only the interpreter would be able to observe the participants.
During the focus group session, the interpreter listens to the conversations through headphones and simultaneously interprets what is spoken by participants. As there are about 2-12 participants in focus groups, skilled interpreters will not only interpret the phrases and meanings of what is spoken but also interpret the tone, intonation, speech patterns and emotions of the participants.

Escort interpreting (Visiting Client in Different Locations)
Escort interpreting involves an interpreter accompanying an individual or a group on a tour visit, or to a meeting. This form of interpreting is also known as liaison interpreting.

Media interpreting (Press Conference)
Given the nature of media interpreting, it needs to be conducted in the simultaneous mode. Media interpreting is needed for situations such as live television coverage or live interviews with public figures. For media interpreting, the interpreter is seated in a soundproof booth with all the equipment. It would be ideal if the interpreter can see the speakers.

What is the most common kind of interpreting?

The most common kind of interpreting is conference interpreting (also known as simultaneous interpreting) and business meeting interpreting (known as consecutive interpreting).

Conference interpreting can often be seen at international summits where interpreters work in a pair inside the soundproof booth with the aid of the interpreting equipment. It involves intense concentration on the part of the interpreter and demands that the interpreter is well-versed in both the source and target language, as they have to interpret the content in real time. To achieve high interpreting standards, intensive preparation is required even for experienced and qualified interpreters. Therefore, it is important for the event organizer to provide the interpreter with the speech or script for the day in advance.

Business interpreting requires interpreters with strong business etiquette, vast knowledge about the industry and years of experience in the corporate world to understand and convey not only the language but the real message and meaning for both parties. To a certain extent, the interpreter sometimes even needs to moderate the meeting to ensure that both parties carry out the discussion smoothly and that the objective of the discussion is achieved.

What kind of interpreter will I need for my event?

There are mainly two kinds of interpreters: Simultaneous interpreters and Consecutive interpreters. The kind of interpreter needed depends on the scale and nature of your event.

Simultaneous interpreters work in pair per language and sit inside a booth to verbally translate what is being said through a microphone to listeners. Simultaneous interpreters are usually used at conferences and large meetings which require real-time interpreting.

Consecutive interpreters listen to a segment of speech and translate the speech consecutively after the speaker has finished each segment of his/her speech. Consecutive interpreters are usually used for business meetings and discussions.

How can I save on interpreting costs?

Interpreters who charge low prices often cause costs to snowball, as these interpreters, who are likely to be non-qualified, not only fail to perform during the event, and also affect the image and reputation of your esteemed company. Hiring such interpreters also wastes the time of your company and clients. Therefore, the most effective way of reducing unnecessary costs is to engage a reliable interpreting agency who would be able to respond to you promptly and provide you with practical advice.

In addition, providing sufficient information to the agency about the event setting and agenda would allow the agency to propose the most suitable interpreting mode, logistic arrangement and duration needed for your event.

How many interpreters will I need?

Conference interpreters usually work in pairs, giving each interpreter time to rest every 15-20 minutes interval as the job involves an immense amount of concentration. Interpreters will take turns to carry out the job so that the quality of interpretation can be maintained. However, if the duration of the meeting is as short as 1 hour or less, then a single interpreter would be able to handle the job solo.

Why are interpretation services so expensive?

Interpretation requires deep concentration, professionalism, a nimble mind and thorough knowledge of both the target and source languages. Being able to speak both languages does not mean that you can become an interpreter, as interpreting is much more than conversing in the language. Interpreters are expected to be able to enter a situation where they are not sure of exactly what the speakers will say, and understand the content spoken, translating it into another language accurately on the spot. It requires a high degree of professionalism and strong linguistic skills. For important business meetings and high-level conferences, the proficiency level of the interpreters will have a substantial impact on the success of your event. In other words, only a small pool of talents are able to perform such a role. That is why qualified and experienced interpreters have higher rates.

Rates and Conditions

What modes of payment do you accept?

For customers located in Singapore, we accept payment through bank transfers, cheques and credit cards. As for International customers, we accept payments through bank remittances or credit cards.

Are there any hidden charges for the project?

No; prices quoted are all inclusive. There will not be any extra service charge, Goods and Services Tax and administrative charges. There may be a 20% overloading charges for assignments handed to us a day before the assignment.

Does Elite Asia offer bulk discounts?

Yes, we at Elite Asia value the relationships that we build with clients and constantly strive to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with you. We work hard to be a value-added service provider and will go the extra mile to meet your expectations.

Therefore, we would be glad to offer you discounts and establish a long-term working relationship with you. We hope that these discounts will assist you in managing your company’s budget. We also hope that we will be able to help you achieve cost-effectiveness when engaging us for translation services.

How does Elite Asia calculate the rates for my translation project?

Elite Asia’s rate is calculated based on the number of words or the number of pages. On average, each A4 sized page usually contains approximately 300 – 350 English words.

Elite Asia’s Translation Services are priced according to:

•  Number of words/characters in the source document
•  Turnaround Time
•  Subject matter of the source document
•  Language pairs to be translated
•  Complexity and level of technical knowledge required

How do I get a quote from Elite Asia for my translation project?

The fastest and easiest way to get a quote is to give us a call. You will be provided with a quote after answering some questions from our project team. Before we can give you an accurate quote, it would be good if you could show us a representative sample of your document.

How much will it cost to translate my website?

If you already have an existing website, it would be easy for us to determine the cost of the website translation. The most important thing to do would be to give us your website address. We would then ask you to send us the latest archive of your website or portion of the website which you want to be translated. We would also prefer if you could send us your website’s full content in MS Word or in an editable version.

Subsequently, we will provide you with a quote for the translation, and produce a detailed proposal within 1 working day which will specify the timeline of the whole project, and also the costs. It would also be crucial for you to verify whether you want graphical text included or excluded in the translation, as this would affect our cost calculations.

Why is there so much variation in professional translation rates?

Each translation company has its own strengths and weaknesses, and their sizes may vary. Other factors which may affect the pricing include the educational qualifications and work experience of the translators, the country of residence of the translators, whether the translator is aware of computer-aided tools which can improve the accuracy of their translations, whether technical knowledge is required for the translation, whether proofreading is included in the package, and the number of translators involved in your project. Verifying these things with your translation company would ensure that you would not be surprised by additional costs at the end of your project.

Contact Us

Use the Search box above or give us a call at +65 6681 6717